Holy Water
by mannd1068
Summary: A story based on the song Holy Water. She prays for him! Gaara is at first disgusted but later intrigued as he discovers that Sakura prays for his saftey, but when Sakura is raped what will Gaara do to make the light in Sakura's eyes come


Holy Water

Mannd1068

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or its characters, nor do I down the song Holy Water in which this fic is based off of. Gaara may seem a little OOC but since I haven't met the time slip version of him, it will have to do. Also mention of rape, no description just a mention of it. Had a hard time with the third act of this story so please excuse the choppiness of it.

Gaara sat in the tree and looked through the window at his latest obsession. She's doing it again,' he mused to himself as he watched Sakura get on her knees at the end of her bed and place her forehead on the bedspread. He didn't know what she did in that position but she had knelt at the end of her bed every night that he had been watching her over the past few months whenever he was in Leaf.

Gaara watched her lips move as she spoke softly to someone. Sometimes she cried, sometimes she moaned and sometimes she just sat there and breathed or she would do as she was doing tonight, moving her lips silently. Gaara didn't know if she was singing or speaking but it intrigued him. Sakura made a soft noise and Gaara's interest was piqued so he decided to move closer.

"…keep them safe, God." He heard her whisper, "and let them come home to me." He was stunned and almost sneered as he realized that she was praying. "Bring Kakashi back from his mission, keep Naruto and Sasuke safe wherever they are, thank you for Ino's safe return tonight and thank you that I was able to heal Neji's injuries." She paused and lifting her head slightly wiped the tears on her cheeks. "Thank you for bringing Gaara safely to Leaf as well." Gaara nearly fell out of the tree at that statement as he stared at her in amazement, she is praying for me?' Was she insane, no one prayed that he would be safe. But apparently Sakura did and it seemed like it was a regular part of her nightly prayer. Gaara sat silently waiting for her to continue but Sakura's breathing began to even out and he realized that she had fallen asleep kneeling at the end of her bed.

This was not the first time that Sakura had fallen asleep kneeling at the end of her bed and usually Gaara would leave her there but tonight he felt that he had to return her kindness for praying for him. He crept quietly over her windowsill and pulling back the covers on her bed lifted her gently in his arms and laid her down. He pulled the covers up to her chin and then as if his hand had a will of its own her gently ran his finger down her cheek. She turned her head slightly towards the feeling and Gaara jerked back and stared at his hand as if it belonged to someone else. Gaara quickly walked over to the window and let himself out. He would watch over her tonight from his perch on the tree and make sure that God kept her safe as well.

Gaara crept quietly to the five men who were sitting around the campfire laughing merrily at the work that they had done today. They had ambushed a team of medics from Leaf who were heading to Sand to help injured in the latest attack by Orochimaru. Gaara had come out to meet the team and escort them to his home but he had come upon the bodies of the men on the team. Only one had been left alive to tell him that they had taken their captain. Gaara closed the eyes of the man when he died after begging Gaara to rescue her. Gaara didn't know who her was but he had a sinking suspicion as she was the only one who had ninja abilities as well as medic and leadership abilities.

He walked closer to the fire and listened as the men talked about how those that they had killed screamed like shrill women as they cut them up and then killed them. A man moved from a tent and the men looked over at them grinning as he straightened his pants and came and sat down on a log, "so was she any good?" one of the men asked.

"Yeah, but she put up quite a fight," the leader said as he took a bottle of sake from the man on his right and guzzled some down, "had to hit her head a few times to knock her out so that she wouldn't fight so hard." He smirked, "was her first time too," the men grinned in appreciation of that news, "so who wants a go at her next?"

The men chuckled to themselves as they began to feel in their pouches for money to buy a turn at the girl.

"I do," a quiet voice said from the shadows and the men whipped around trying to identify the voice. Gaara moved into the fire light and the men tried to grab their weapons but they weren't quick enough and Gaara killed them all slaughtering them before any had a chance to draw a breath.

Gaara walked softly to the tent and looked in. Sakura lay there staring up at the ceiling of the tent. She was naked her body bruised and Gaara could tell that she was covered in blood. Gaara picked up a cloak that was at the entrance of the tent and moved closer and slowly so not to startle her. He gently put the cloak on her covering her as he had the blanket all those months ago. She blinked and turned her head to stare at him, her eyes were slow to comprehend who he was. "Gaara?" her voice sounded raw from screams and he also saw the evidence of finger marks around her throat as the leader had obviously tried to choke her into submission.

Gaara gently wrapped the cloak around her battered body and picking her up carried her out of the tent. He blocked her view of the men that he had slaughtered and taking to the trees, he carried her back to Leaf. A place that he knew that she would feel safe, for she needed to feel safe again. When he reached the gates of Leaf, Kakashi had tried to take her from him, but Sakura had tightened her grip around Gaara's neck and refused to let him go. Kakashi walked with the pair towards the hospital, where the medics had gently but persistently loosened her grip on Gaara and took her away to treat her.

Gaara went with Kakashi to the Hokage's office to report what had happened, and he watched as Kakashi's face grow grim, and Tsunade's pale. They had lost friends that day, but Sakura had lost her team and co-workers as well as her innocence. After the interview was over, Gaara returned to the hospital and crept quietly into her room, sitting by the windowsill. She lay there so still that if Gaara didn't keep checking her Chakra levels he would have thought that she was dead. Gaara didn't even move when Lee and Ino came in the room to visit her, bringing her some daffodils. Two days later Sakura stirred and Gaara watched as she opened her eyes and stared at him. Her eyes looked dull almost dead as if someone had gone and turned out the light.

"Gaara?" she said softly.

He moved over to the side of her bed, "sorry I was late…" he said floundering to come up with something to hide his feelings, "I was…" he paused, and then swallowed, "praying that you would wake up and return safely." Sakura looked at him in surprise then she reached out a hand and held his as the silence filled the room and Sakura slid back to sleep. When she woke, he was gone.

A few days later she was released from the hospital, and as Ino helped her up the stairs to her bed, she stopped in surprise. At the end of the bed where she would kneel every night to ask God for everyone's safe return was a small cushion just big enough for her knees. A note sat on her bed, hope you don't mind, but this will make your nightly prayers easier.' Sakura smiled as she laid down and Ino covered her with the blanket, "You going to be okay?" Ino asked.

"Some day," Sakura acknowledged and closed her eyes to sleep; Ino quietly let herself out of the room. As soon as she was gone, Sakura opened her eyes and pulling back the covers went to the end of the bed and knelt to pray.

Sakura was sick of it, the attack and her rape had been over 6 months ago and although she still had nightmares from the day, she was tired of being treated like broken porcelain. Yes, she had lost her innocence but just as importantly she had lost friends, co-workers and people that she should have been able to protect. She was tired of the pitying looks she got from the various nurses and doctors at the hospital. Did that whole world know of what happened? Even Ino and Kakashi treated her different and it made her feel used and dirty. The only one who didn't was Gaara. He didn't look at her with pitying and knowing eyes. He was the first one that started pushing her back into training and getting her life back.

Sakura sighed she wanted to feel whole again.

"Do you still pray?" a voice asked unexpectedly but didn't startle Sakura as she had felt his presence come up behind her.

"Every night," she said.

"Why?" Gaara asked.

"It makes me feel…" Sakura paused searching for the words, "as though I am still part of the team, still part of those who protect Leaf." She sighed as she stared at the lake the late night stars reflecting their light back into the clear night. She only worked at the hospital now, never went on any missions. "Sometimes I wonder if it makes any difference…"

"It does, Sakura," Gaara said passionately, "it does."

Sakura looked at him in surprise, and he longed to see the light back in her eyes and wished he knew the right words to say. "When I am out there on a really hard mission, or just being lonely by myself as I travel between Leaf and Sand, I remember that there is a praying angel out there." Sakura sucked in a breath, "a beautiful angel who cares…" he stopped when he noticed the tears beginning to stream down her face. He looked at her uncertain what to do, and then remembering what he had seen others do softly drew her into his arms and let her cry.

She fell asleep in his arms and he knew that she was comforted by the fact that someone had finally listened to her when she cried.

Kakashi watched as the light came back into Sakura's eyes and he knew that Gaara was healing her. He was helping her to get over the pain of loss and loneliness that she felt when Naruto and Sasuke left those months ago. Gaara seemed to understand the pain of having someone you care about completely turn their back on you and leave you behind to deal with the broken pieces of the lives left behind.

The small meetings between Gaara and Sakura seemed to be the help that she needed to help with the pain of losing all that she had. Sometimes they would meet for a second on the streets not saying anything but just passing each other by, other times they would spend hours in each others company, and Gaara always watched over her every night as she prayed and then slept.

Sakura walked down by the lake, Naruto and Sasuke had returned a few months ago and although it was awkward at first the teammates soon became friends. Sakura was still waiting for the other shoe to drop, for lightning to strike and take away the happiness that she felt with Gaara. He called her his angel, she smile at that memory. They were leaving to go to Sand today and during her farewell party she had slipped away for a little alone time. She had asked for a transfer and it had been reluctantly granted. Naruto and Sasuke seemed to know better than to ask her not to go, after all they left her for selfish reasons, she at least was going with someone she cared deeply about and was going to do some good in Sand.

Thunder sounded in the distance but for the first time in a long time it didn't sound ominous. Sakura stared at the lake, water wasn't abundant in the desert and she knew that she would miss the calming effect that the body of water seemed to have on her. Sakura was startled when a large drop of water came and hit her head and she looked up and saw the raindrops fall from the heavy grey clouds. As she became wet, she leaned her head back and let the water pour over her and take away her worries and fears of the future and what she was leaving behind.

Gaara watched as Sakura raised her hands to the sky as if welcoming the rain that was quickly soaking her to the bone. He smiled softly to himself as he heard her laugh for the first time in a long time. She slowly turned in place as she continued to look up at the rain and smiled. Gaara walked up behind her and when she was facing the lake he pulled her against his chest. Instead of freezing in fright like she would have a few weeks ago, she leaned back and sighed at his warmth and strength. "Take me away," Sakura whispered, and Gaara grinned, he gathered his sand and lifted the two up in the air as they sped their way towards Sand and their home. "Take me higher," Sakura laughed in delight and Gaara took her over the trees of the familiar forest of her home. She carefully turned in his arms and looked up him. "Hold me," she said as she snuggled into his chest and Gaara wrapped his arms more firmly around her.

Criticisms and Comments are welcome.


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